THE Lord is coming. We affectionately draw the young Christian’s attention to this; not simply as a doctrine, for it has been proclaimed throughout Christendom for many years, but as an urgent declaration from His own blessed lips on the very eve of its fulfillment (Rev. 22:2020He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)); and we may each ask ourselves, How does this solemn yet blessed declaration affect me?
He left this world appointing to each of His servants their respective work for Him as their Lord, saying, “Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:1313And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. (Luke 19:13)). Can the long interval of time that has elapsed lessen the importance of those words to our hearts now? May He graciously stir us up to increased vigilance and devotedness in these closing days!
We have been much rejoiced of late at seeing so many young people coming to the front and confessing themselves on the Lord’s side. This is, no doubt, largely the result of the awakening going on around us, and we adore the grace that has called them thus to respond to the gospel trumpet’s call, but this inspires us to make a special appeal to such, that they may not receive the grace of God in vain, but, like the young converts in Thessalonica, sound forth the message to all around; and, in the words of the young man in Acts 9, inquire, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?”
You have been brought to the Lord not only to receive a blessing, but to be His witnesses to the grace that has saved you, and we enjoin upon you, especially as the time is short, to get before the Lord, and learn from Him, as that new convert did, what active part He would have you take in the testimony of His grace.
Many things in these days are calculated to act as a check to devotedness in the Lord’s matters. We suppose there never was a day when so much strain was being put forth on all hands for prosperity and pleasure as that in which we live, and even Christians are in danger of being drawn into the vortex. There is, too, another thing we do well to take note of, namely, that a similar moral condition of things is found among the professing people of God as was apparent in the days when God called the prophet quoted above. Scripture does not indicate for a moment that we are to expect a better state of things generally, rather the contrary; but we can look and pray earnestly that the Lord will call out and send forth devoted laborers into His harvest, inspired with a holy zeal for Him; and who are better adapted for this than those converted in their youth, and this is the way He is pleased to carry on and perfect His work.
There are three things we would draw attention to in connection with the call of Isaiah which may be instructive to any who may have a special desire to be used of the Lord. The first is the wonderful vision the Lord gave of Himself and His glory. This, too, corresponds very much with the special case of the young man we have referred to in Acts 9. Each received his call though under different dispensations from the same Lord. What was the effect of this? They saw His glory and spake of Him (compare John 12:4141These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. (John 12:41); Acts 9:2020And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. (Acts 9:20)).
Different, indeed, the character of their testimony, but He Himself was the object. Now what was the effect of this vision on the prophet? It gave him the sense of his own nothingness, it withered up all that was of the flesh in him, and this must be if we would be of any real service to the Lord.
But along with this comes the grace that fits the vessel, and this brings us to our second point. Conscious of his own unfitness, and likewise the condition of the people to whom the Lord was sending him, he is found prostrate before Him in true contrition. It is then that one of the seraphim flew unto him, “having a live coal in his hand which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar, and touched his lips and said, Thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” Conscious now that his own iniquity was gone and his sin purged, he could go forth to others; he had a certainty in the Lord’s secret dealing with him that would give him definiteness in his testimony (compare for us 2 Cor. 4). Note here it is not purging by blood, this fits us for God and for heaven, but by what is a symbol of judgment, God’s holy judgment of all we have done and all we are in self-judgment, too, if you please, fitting for testimony in the midst of a sinful people. Now this is grace, but of a character suited to its purpose. Grace in service can only shine, as we learn, by the cross, the utter condemnation of the flesh. The live coal is a proof that judgment has done its work, but on the victim on our behalf, our consciences accept this in self-judgment before God. We learn the worthlessness of the flesh in anything that can be of service to God, but His grace deigns to take up the vessel worthless as it is, now sanctified through the cross for Him.
Now our third point is of equal value as flowing from the first two. The prophet now hears the voice of the Lord, but what does that voice say? “Who will go for us?” This is not a command, it is a call, according to the grace that fits the vessel. Who will go for us? What an appeal from the Lord of hosts. Can any dare to respond? Yes, the man who has heard the voice of the Lord, and learned of Him after the example of the prophet, “Here am I, send me.”
Young believers, to whom we specially appeal, hearken to that voice, hearken, too, to the response so fitted to the appeal. Say not, I am unworthy. He knows it, yet He calls. Never can the writer forget when that voice reached him, when the lips were sealed in His presence, not capable of uttering a word even in prayer, when by an irresistible power they were unsealed, first to speak to Him, then for Him. After forty years and more he writes, and though perhaps in a deeper way, more conscious of unfitness, yet conscious, too, of the grace that started and still deigns to use in a humble way. He now makes bold to appeal to his younger brethren to respond to the call, “Who will go for us?” and in the words of the prophet to say, “Here am I, send me.”
Again we say, The Lord is coming; let your lives be dedicated to Him. “Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord.” H. L.